We are recruiting a Principal Legal Officer to lead our employment law service and to be part of our senior management team. Summary This role is ideal for an experienced employment law practitioner who can transfer their knowledge and skills to others, maintain our excellent quality standards and develop our service. You will lead a small team of paid and seconded legal officers, supervise a wide range of cases in the employment and employment appeal tribunal and contribute to the leadership of this small charity with a big reach. Background The Free Representation Unit provides representation in social entitlement and employment tribunals for people who can’t afford lawyers. We represent approximately 300 clients annually in tribunals across London and the South East. Most of our work is done by approximately 300 volunteers, generally law students on the Bar course, LPC, GDL or SQE and junior solicitors and barristers. They are supervised by our legal officers. More information about FRU can be found on our website. The main job of the PLO is the training and supervision of the volunteers and Assistant Legal Officers when undertaking employment cases. Most of an average day is spent speaking to volunteers, helping them prepare cases and reviewing their work. FRU cases cover the whole spectrum of employment law, but much of our work is in unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, wages, holiday pay and discrimination. We take on cases after they are presented to the ET and once there is a hearing date. But, in most cases, there is significant preparation for the hearing required. Volunteers routinely draft schedules of loss and negotiate settlements, deal with disclosure, prepare bundles and write witness statements, in addition to appearing at the hearing. As PLO you will be ultimately responsible for the conduct of FRU’s employment cases and the most challenging issues – legal, ethical and practical – will come to you. As well as dealing with volunteers you will supervise and mentor staff dealing with employment work, particularly the Assistant Legal Officers, but also seconded trainees from Linklaters. You may need to develop and manage specially funded projects to deliver our service. You will have line-management responsibility for two part-time Assistant Legal Officers, and a secondee for 6 months of each year. Purpose of the role: To be an effective member of FRU’s senior management team, ensuring that FRU provides a high-quality advocacy service to our clients and a high-quality experience to our volunteers. To take the lead on FRU’s employment work. Main duties • As a member of a senior management team, to contribute to the strategic and operational management of FRU and development of its services • To lead FRU’s employment work • To ensure that FRU clients are empowered to make decisions about their case and receive a good service from FRU • To ensure the achievement of professional standards in all aspects of FRU work • To ensure that FRU volunteers receive appropriate support, supervision and guidance to perform effectively • To put in place systems, policies and approaches that ensure the quality of casework, benchmarking with other providers • To promote best practice in clinical legal education at FRU, benchmarking with other providers • To promote equality and diversity in all aspects of FRU work • To manage relevant staff and secondees in accordance with FRU policies 7 • To maintain the postholder’s own legal and professional knowledge and skills • To represent FRU professionally to external stakeholders and to build appropriate professional networks to further FRU’s objectives • To develop and manage projects to deliver their objectives, as necessary • To support funding applications and to contribute to reporting, monitoring and evaluation of our service